Bladder cancer treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

Maple is a virtual care platform that connects you with doctors and other healthcare providers via text, audio, or video. After you log in to your Maple account, you can request an online consultation.

Consultations work similarly to in-person appointments — the doctor can complete an assessment by asking questions about your symptoms, going through your health history, and determining what treatment is right for you. If they think your condition is more serious, they may tell you to go to a clinic for an in-person examination.

As a Maple member, you get 24/7 access to virtual primary care online and more. You can connect with our network of providers via text, audio, or video call within minutes.

Our membership costs $79.99/month and covers virtual care for patients and their families, including the primary account holder's spouse and any dependents.

For patients in eligible provinces, our membership includes:

• Access to daily primary care provider visits: One daily visit with a primary care provider for each family member in their household.
• Paediatric care: Covered paediatric primary care visits, available by appointment.
• Second medical opinions: access to a network of experts for a second opinion if diagnosed with a complex condition (e.g. cancer).
• Personal Health Check-Ins: A series of personalized, evidence-based proactive care screenings to maintain and improve health.
• iCBT courses: Access to iCBT (internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy) self-assessment and courses.
• Access to specialists in eligible provinces: Easy access to specialists on Maple within days, not months. No referral is needed.
• Specialist referrals in eligible provinces: Ability to be referred to a physician specialist for in-person care, if needed.
• Credit discounts: An $80 credit per month to be applied to a Maple specialist visit.

Please note that our membership cannot be combined with other offerings, such as private insurance coverage and provincial programs, where available. In some cases, membership fees can be covered by a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) — check with your HSA provider for more details.

We accept all major credit cards, including AMEX cards, as well as Google and Apple Pay.

At Maple, we proudly prioritize privacy as a cornerstone of our virtual care services. We strictly adhere to privacy and healthcare legislation in Canada, such as PIPEDA and PHIPA regulations, to ensure patients' personal and health information remains completely private and safeguarded.

Our policies and consent processes are designed to be simple and easily understood, empowering individuals with control and a clear understanding of their healthcare journey. When using our services, a patient’s session is protected by a comprehensive security infrastructure and stringent data policies.

Patients also retain full control of their personal health information, medical records and test results at all times. Our approach is reinforced by consultations with leading experts, guaranteeing comprehensive policy frameworks that are reviewed at a regular cadence.

All providers delivering healthcare through Maple are licensed in Canada and governed by their licensing regulatory colleges, and in all instances, must act in accordance with the governing principles set out in the telemedicine policies of each medical regulator in the applicable province.

Regulators across Canada support and recognize the value of services like ours, and the way in which they can benefit patients, physicians, and Canada’s broader healthcare system by improving access to care and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of care.

Yes, in some cases a doctor from Maple will be able to offer a bladder cancer diagnosis by discussing possible signs of bladder cancer, past medical records & tests, and evaluating your condition.

Typically, when the doctor believes that you have bladder cancer, they will request that you visit a clinic to receive additional testing in order to confirm the diagnosis. This could involve imaging tests (CT or x-ray), urine cytology, cystoscopy or a biopsy, when possible.

Yes, our physicians can prescribe medications online during your consultation. Once you accept a prescription, you’ll have the option to pick it up from any pharmacy or to have it delivered right to your door at no additional cost.

You can visit our How it Works page to learn more.

The bladder is a flexible, hollow pouch, which stores urine before it is expelled from the body. Bladder cancer occurs when the cells in the bladder begin to grow and multiply uncontrollably.

This is one of the most common types of cancer (5th in Canada), and has a high level of recurrence.

There are three types of bladder cancer:

• Urothelial carcinoma (involving the urothelial cells in the bladder)
• Squamous cell carcinoma (usually associated with chronic bladder irritation)
• Adenocarcinoma (starting in the mucus-secreting glands in the bladder)

The most common signs of bladder cancer include:

• Painful or burning urination
• Pelvic pain
• Feeling like you have to urinate when your bladder is empty
• Urine discoloration
• Difficulty urinating
• Blood in urine
• Frequent urination

Direct bladder cancer causes aren’t always clear, although there are a number of factors which are known to increase risks of bladder cancer, or lead directly to mutations that can result in bladder cancer. Some of these include:

• Radiation exposure
• Frequent or chronic irritation of the lining inside the bladder
• Exposure to certain chemicals
• Parasitic infections
• Smoking or other forms of tobacco use

Yes, in over 90% of cases, bladder cancer can be cured within five years of starting treatment; as long as the treatment begins in the cancer’s early stages.

However, especially when the cancer is treated in its early stages, there is a 60-70% chance of recurrence.

Typically, bladder cancer isn’t hereditary.

In most cases, bladder cancer is the result of somatic mutations; meaning that it’s caused by genetic mutations that occur in the bladder’s cells during the patient’s lifetime.

Bladder cancer treatment is usually done using the following methods:

• Chemotherapy (to the entire body or just the bladder)
• Surgery
• Reconstruction (creating a new way for urine to exit the body)
• Radiation
• Immunotherapy
• Radical cystectomy (removal of the bladder and surrounding lymphs or organs)

The type of treatment will depend on the recommendations of your doctor, as well as the current stage of the cancer and the location of the cancer inside the bladder.

If you’ve recently had a bladder tumor removed, you may notice that you’re having trouble controlling your bladder. This is very common and isn’t a cause for concern.

There may be some discomfort while healing. Bed rest and drinking lots of water are strongly recommended. Avoid becoming constipated if possible.

As well, scabbing inside the bladder may get loose and bleed. This could cause blood to pass into the urine or cause difficulty in urinating due to blood clots. If difficulty urinating or blood in the urine persists for more than 1 day, contact your doctor for further direction.